Jar storage and handling unit



Nov. 4, 1952 N. G. BUNDGUS 2,616,568

JAR STORAGE AND HANDLING UNIT Filed Nov. 22, 1947 I N V EN TOR. NANCY G. BUNDGUS wry ATTO/iNfYS.

Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAR STORAGE AND HANDLING UNIT Nancy G. Bundgus, Larchmont, N. Y.

Application November 22, 1947, Serial No. 787,553

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a novel and improved unit for storing, handling and closing a plurality of jars.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and. attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claim.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Figure l is a central, vertical section showing a typical illustrative and preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan and Figure 4 a fragmentary front elevation of the preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a side elevation with certain parts broken away, and showing the unit assembled but with only certain of the jars in place; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the device with its parts arranged for carrying or for heating the jars held in it.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a novel and improved device for storing, closing and handling a plurality of jars of substantially similar size and shape. A further object of the invention is the provision of a unit in which a plurality of food jars may be retained for storage one on top of each other in the refrigerator so as to economize upon the shelf space required, which jars may be repositioned so as to bring them into side by side relation and at substantially the same level when they are to be used or heated. Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device particularly adapted for storing opened jars of baby food and for conveniently handling them while they are being heated.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a plurality of members adapted to be superposed and to receive individual jars between the pairs of members, the intermediate receptacles receiving the bottom of one jar and forming the closure for the jar immediately beneath it, while the lowermost receptacle serves merely to receive the lowermost jar and the uppermost member serves merely as the cover for the uppermost jar. These members are assembled for vertical sliding movement, as well as for swinging motion around a vertical axis, and means are provided for retaining them in assembled position, permitting them to be secured in vertical superposition or permitting them to be swung and lowered into side by side relation. Means are also provided for releasably clamping the assembled jars and receptacles together for storage so that the contents of the jars are not easily contaminated.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the preferred embodient of the invention, the device is shown as particularly adapted for use with the conventional and almost standard size of glass container in which small quantities of prepared baby food such as strained vegetables and fruits are shipped and sold, such jars are of generally cylindrical shape only slightly necked down to provide a relatively large mouth which is generally closed with a sealed metal cap which can be replaced only with considerable diihculty. Such standard jars are shown in the drawings as at IE3, three such jars being the maximum capacity of the illustrative embodiment of the invention.

The lowermost jar is received in a receptacle l? which is of generally cylindrical form and may extend upwardly for a short distance and is closely fitted to the cylindrical wall of the jar, although not snugly enough to prevent easy insertion and removal of the jars. Intermediate the top and bottom of the cylindrical receptacle I2 is a plate 14 which serves as a support for the bottom of the jar l0.

Above the top of the lowermost jar I0 is another cylindrical receptacle l6 having a false bottom It and of the general size and shape as the receptacle l2, the false bottom I8 forming a support for the intermediate jar H) as well as a closure for the lowermost jar Ill. The uppermost jar I6 is likewise supported in another receptacle 20 of similar shape and size which is also provided with a false bottom 22, while the uppermost member 24 is formed with a recessed underside adapted to fit snugly over and. close the mouth of the uppermost jar.

The receptacle members l2, l6, and 2B are preferably formed integral with their false bottoms l4, l8 and 22 and each of these members together with the cover member 26 are formed from suitable material such as a plastic which has good strength characteristics at freezing temperatures and at elevated temperatures, does not warp appreciably, is substantially nonabsorbent and will withstand boiling water.

The false bottoms l4, l8 and 22 are preferably provided with perforations 28, and their lower edges are notched as at 28 so as to permit the flow of water into the receptacles when they are immersed in Water for heating, the apertures 26 are preferably located close to the periphery of the false bottoms so as to lie outside the rim of the jars IE! and thereby not interfere with complete closure of the jars.

Receptacles I 2, I6, and 20 may conveniently be of substantially identical shape, size and construction except for the location on them of their similar laterally projecting integral lugs 30, 32, and 34. These lugs 30, 32 and 34 are substantially similar but are arranged at progressively increasing heights with reference to the basis of their respective receptacles. Lugs 38, 32 and 34 are provided with apertures to receive the vertical rod 36 which is screw-threaded at 38 into the lug 35, and forms a pivotal support for the several receptacles, as well as for the cover member 2 1 which has its lug similarly apertured. Lugs 30, 32 and 34 are so dimensioned, and their apertures are so positioned that the receptacles l2, l6 and 20 may be swung 120 with respect to each other and lowered on the rod 36 to form a nested cluster as illustrated in Figure 6. Cover member 24 is also vertically slidable on the rod 36, and may be swung so as to overlie any one of the jars I or so as to partially cover any pair of the jars.

The cover member 24 is preferably formed with a boss 42 having a central depression 44, and when the jars are stacked as shown in Figure 1, boss 42 is normally engaged by the bent handle portion 46 of the rod 36. The handle portion 46 forms a convenient means of carrying the assembled jars, and also serves to lift the jars as shown in Figure 6 while they are being heated or used. When the jars are in the position shown in Figure 6, the bottoms of the receptacles l2, l6 and are in the same plane and there is little danger of the jars being tipped over even if they are placed in vigorously boiling water. Handle portion 46 is preferably so located that when standard size jars are used, it is slightly deflected by the boss 42 as it is moved into its releasable locking position in engagement with the central depression 44.

The adjacent edges of the receptacle members and the cover member 24 are preferably complementarily bevelled so that they are held in vertical alignment in case they are assembled witho the inclusion of the jar between them,

as may be the case where only one or two jars are to be stored in the unit, as shown in Figure 5. In the use of the device shown, the receptacles may be arranged as shown in Figure 6, and a jar 26 inserted in each of the receptacles. The unit may then be lifted by handle 46 into and out of the water for heating, the water flowing into contact with the bottom of the jars through the notches 28 and the apertures 26. After the jars have been used, and when it is desired to assemble them for storage, the receptacles l6 and 28 are lifted, turned and lowered into vertical alignment as shown in Figure 1 after which the cover member 24 is swung over the uppermost jar and handle 45 is then swung until it rests in the central depression 45 resiliently clamping the assembled parts together and forming a compact, closed storage unit including the three jars.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claim without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What is claimed is:

A holder for a plurality of jars including in combination a guide rod, a receptacle having a lug in which the rod is pivotally mounted and at least one receptacle having a jar receiving cavity and an opposite cavity to cover another jar, and a cover member slidably pivoted on said rod and positioned above both said receptacles, the second mentioned receptacle being slidably and pivotally mounted on the rod, the other receptacle or receptacles being formed with lateral lugs parallel to one another to receive the rod, said lugs arranged at progressively increasing heights with reference to the bases of their respective receptacles whereby the lug of the upper receptacle will be positioned to lie above the lower receptacle lug when the receptacles are in side by side relationship.

NANCY G. BUNDGUS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 578,375 Tygert Mar. 9, 1897 831,205 Barnard Sept. 18, 1906 1,178,525 Lawrence Apr. 11, 1916 1,760,309 Marrits May 27, 1930 2,364,537 Kerth Dec. 5, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 406,960 France Sept. 13, 1909 

